5 Tips for Video That Doesn’t Suck

If you are thinking about shooting some video at GA video guru Steve Stockman outlines 5 quick tips for creating better video:

1) Think in Shots (don’t keep the camera rolling all the time, only shoot when something interesting is on screen)

2) Don’t Shoot Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes (If you are filming a person make sure you are close enough)

3) Keep the Brightest Light Behind You (You want a well lit scene)

4) Treat Your Video Camera Like a Still Camera (Moving the camera around rapidly and zooming can be confusing to watch)

5) Keep Your Video Short (He recommends taking the length you think it should be and cutting it by 2/3rds)

From my experience with running a college film festival (and seeing/making some pretty terrible movies), I have to say these are all solid tips. I should warn you that the video is an advertisement for Steve Stockman’s book, but fortunately it doesn’t suck or make the tips any less valid: